Snow not on tap for deer opener

Tracking snow will not be part of the Eastern Upper Peninsula program when hunters take to the woods for the 2012 firearm deer season opener on Thursday.

By SCOTT BRAND

EASTERN UPPER PENINSULA ― Tracking snow will not be part of the Eastern Upper Peninsula program when hunters take to the woods for the 2012 firearm deer season opener on Thursday."There's nothing on the horizon," said Meteorologist Scott Rozanski of the National Weather Service using computer models at the Gaylord office to compile a forecast for the next seven days. "It certainly doesn't look like it." When the sun rises shortly Thursday morning, Rozanski is expecting area hunters will find temperatures just above the 32 degree freezing mark with light winds in the 8-12 mph range out of the south."Through the day temperatures will go up to 46 degrees," said Rozanski. "We'll see that all through the weekend with highs in the mid 40s."As a result, there will not be any snow, Rozanski predicted in the foreseeable future. Hunters traditionally like to have snow cover for a number of reasons. The white background provides good contrast with the forest floor to offset the deer's natural camouflage. The snow will also reveal where the most recent deer activity has been helping hunters set up in good spots and that same benefit can be utilized after the shot assisting in the tracking of an animal.The snow can be a double-edged sword, however, as the colder temperatures associated with the frozen precipitation can chill fingers, toes and ears shortening a hunter's stay on the stand. Heavy snowfalls during deer season can greatly affect deer movement and keep hunters from accessing remote locations as well.The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, in its 2012 Michigan Deer Hunting: Status and Prospects Report, said the Upper Peninsula deer herd continues to rebound from the harsh winters of 2007 and 2008. "The recent mild winters should lead to an increased availability of yearling and 2 1/2-year-old bucks this fall, and in general more bucks have been seen do far," said the portion of the report specifically for the Upper Peninsula. "However, local areas are influenced differently by factors that affect numbers of deer, deer condition, and sightings at a smaller scale."